The Tyrant Kings
by Ferris Iscariot
Summary: After Gaea, Percy Jackson thought everything was over. A dream however, shows him that his girlfriend, Annabeth, may be in mortal danger. Now, Percy must face a new threat, one that comes beyond the boundaries of the Greek Pantheon. Not a Chaos fic. Will be a pairing later, still deciding what. May not be Percabeth. Rated M for later scenes.
1. Chapter 1

**Percy**

Percy hated dreams.

After the tumulus events of Gaea's uprising and subsequent defeat, Percy wanted nothing more then to go to university in New Rome with Annabeth. No monsters or quests or evil deities. Just a nice relaxing time with his girlfriend.

The dream however, was anything but _relaxing_. More like confusing as Hades. Unlike Percy's previous dreams, this one wasn't lucid. Instead, it was a confusing juxtaposition of multiple images, like a kaleidoscope or an experimental film.

_A snake biting its own tail, its eyes glowing with fury. _

_Apollo muttering curses while firing arrow after arrow at an unknown target._

_A boy Percy's age, with silvery-white hair and brown eyes, swinging a sword over and over. Sweat soaked through his shirt._

_A man is kneeling on the ground, his hands grasping at dust while a city burns behind him. _

_Artemis, her silver clothes stained with dirt, running through a forest. Her face is fearful. _

_A battleground, littered with corpses and swords. A knight claws his helmet off and wails at the sky. _

_A man dressed in Roman robes, fat evident underneath his clothes, sits in the centre of a magical circle. His chanting is evil, the words praising destruction and ruin. _

_Annabeth, screaming Percy's name as a black spear runs through her-_

Percy shot upwards, narrowly missing bashing his head on the bunk above him. His body was covered in sweat, his heartbeat pounding in his chest. In his head, the last image played over and over again.

Percy remembered in Tartarus, when the _Arai _had attacked them. He remembered Annabeth pleading for him to save her. And he hadn't. Percy clenched his fist. He had no intention of letting Annabeth feel that way ever again.

After stripping his t-shirt off and using it to wipe his sweat, Percy glanced at the clock next to his bed.

7:45AM. Rays of sunshine flitted through the blinders next to Percy. His stomach grumbled, reminding him it was breakfast time.

Percy didn't think he could eat after his dream, but he knew that his absence would be noted. Best to act normal until he could grab Chiron for a moment.

"Damn nightmares." Percy muttered, grabbing a clean shirt and pulling it on. He paused to finger the leather necklace around his neck. The beads glistened in the morning light, each one representing a memory.

_The Master Bolt and the traitor who stole it._

_The Sea of Monsters and the Golden Fleece._

_The Labyrinth and Kronos' awakening._

_The Last Olympian and the conclusion of the Great Prophecy._

"Four crazy years." Percy mumbled, lost in his thoughts. "All with Annabeth."

Percy's eye moved to his arm. On his bicep, the SPQR tattoo stood out against his skin. Each line represented another adventure, with new allies and new enemies.

_Losing his memory and joining the Romans._

_Travelling to Europe in search of Athena's Gift._

_The fall into Tartarus and the Doors of Death._

_The final battle against Gaea and the subsequent victory._

The times he laughed. The times he raged. The times he fought. The times he cried. Percy treasured those moments. But he treasured his times with Annabeth the most.

"I won't let her die." Percy swore to himself.

The scene he had seen in his dreams…Percy knew that even if it cost him his life, he would change it.

He would never let her go through any pain again.

* * *

><p><strong>Percy<strong>

Breakfast was so uneventful that Percy was having trouble believing he had ever had the nightmare. He had expected, upon leaving his dorm, to find the camp in flames, the campers fighting to the death, Annabeth shouting his-

"Stop." Percy muttered under his breath. "It's just a dream. A dream." Unfortunately, as Percy knew very well, his dreams tended to have a heavy douse of reality to them.

Percy had spent his breakfast trying to decipher the other scenes that he had seen. After Annabeth's, Artemis' scene bothered him the most. As the Goddess of the Hunt, she was normally the one hunting. In his dream, it had looked like she was _being _hunted.

Apollo's scene had been too vague to decipher anything. The Sun God had looked annoyed and had obviously been shooting at _something_. However, Percy mused, that something could have been anything from a wooden target to a pack of Hellhounds. Plus, Apollo was one of the Olympians. How could he possibly be in danger?

The remaining scenes remained a mystery to Percy. The snake had obviously been a symbol of some sort, but one Percy didn't recognise. He made a mental note to ask Annabeth about that later.

The boy swinging the sword. Percy bit his lip. He didn't recognise the boy from anywhere, yet something told him that this particular scene was probably the most important one of all. The boy's appearance, especially the silver-grey hair, had been unique to say the least. Percy briefly entertained the possibility that the boy was a demigod, but quickly quashed it. The boy had been unusual, but not demigod unusual.

The burning city, the battleground and the mysterious Roman however, were beyond Percy's knowledge. There had been something…different about those scenes. Unlike the others, Percy had felt almost nostalgic when he watched them, as if he was recalling a memory. Yet Percy was certain that he had never experienced those events.

"Did I dream of someone's memories…?" Percy mumbled. He had heard of Demigods dreaming of the future, but never of the past, much less someone else's

He really needed to find Chiron. Percy looked around the dining hall. Campers were happily eating their breakfast, gossiping about this and that. At the head table, Mr. D was drinking Coke and looking annoyed as usual. Chiron however, was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey seaweed brain!" Percy blinked. He had been so lost in thought he hadn't noticed Annabeth standing over him. "I've been calling you for the past minute!"

"Sorry." Percy put on his best fake smile. "I was thinking." Annabeth stared at Percy for a moment, before sitting next to him.

"You know…you suck at lying." Annabeth sighed. "You can tell me anything seaweed brain, you know that?"

_Even that I dreamed you died? While crying out my name?_

"I had a dream." Annabeth noticeably stiffened. She knew that demigod dreams were never just dreams. "A…snake was biting its own tail."

"A snake biting its own tail?" Annabeth's eyebrows furrowed as she thought. "An Ouroboros?"

"A what?" Annabeth sighed, exasperated. "You know I'm not the smart one in the relationship!"

"I'm aware seaweed brain." Annabeth traced a circle with her fingers. "The Ouroboros is a symbol from a long time ago. The exact origins of the symbol are unclear, but it basically means infinity or eternity."

"Eternity sounds good." Percy replied, relieved. "I thought it meant destruction or something."

"Well actually." Annabeth's tone warned Percy that there was something else. Something bad. "The Ouroboros represents the continuous cycle of death and life. Entire worlds will be destroyed in order to allow a new one to be born. An eternal cycle of life and death, destruction and creation."

"So I dreamed about the end of the world?"

"Not necessarily. Your dream may have represented the defeat of Gaea and the birth of a new world without her…?" Percy could tell that Annabeth didn't really believe what she was saying either. "Anyways, you should probably see Chiron about this."

"I would, except he isn't here." Annabeth looked at the head table, where Mr. D was demanding the satyrs to bring him more grapes.

"Then how about Rachel?"

"That's…a good idea." Percy admitted. It hadn't occurred to him to ask his old friend and current Oracle for advice.

"When do I not have good ideas?" Annabeth asked, kissing him softly on the lips. "After breakfast then?"

"Sure." Percy replied, kissing her lightly. "See you the, Wise girl."

* * *

><p><strong>Percy<strong>

The Oracle's cave was located in the forest next to the camp. A cold wind blew from behind the curtains covering the cave's entrance. Green fire burned in the torches on either side of the entrance. The cave emitted a feeling of magic, power and dread.

Inside however, was a "decked out pad", as Apollo called it. Flat screen TVs with game consoles linked to them, surround sound system, powerful air conditioning units, the Oracle's cave had all the modern amenities.

"Wow…why can't the cabins be like this?" Percy stepped through the curtain and into Rachel's lair. "I mean, the fountain is cool and all, but this is crazy." Annabeth, who often came over to visit Rachel, was not as surprised as Percy.

"You should come over more often then." Rachel's voice emitted from a doorway further in the cave. "Come in here."

Percy stepped through the doorway, with Annabeth following behind him. Rachel sat on a table on the far end of the room. A plethora of artwork lay between her and Percy, with a small pathway weaving through the statues and drawings.

"Hi Rachel." Percy waved at the red-haired Oracle. Rachel's appearance hadn't changed during her stint as the Oracle. She still wore her paint-splattered jeans and t-shirt. The only noticeable change was a thin band around her head, marking her as Apollo's Oracle.

"Hey Percy. Hi Annabeth." Rachel replied, effortlessly stepping around her art until she stood in front of him. "Let's talk in the living room."

The living room was equally impressive, with beanbags and sofas dotting the room. Music played softly in the background, creating a comfortable atmosphere. Rachel jumped into one of the beanbags and let out a sigh of relief. Percy and Annabeth did the same.

"Now then." Rachel stared at Percy. "What did you dream about?" Noticing Percy and Annabeth's shocked looks, Rachel giggled. "I am the Oracle remember?"

Annabeth quickly explained the Ouroboros to Rachel, who nodded.

"You're right." Rachel leaned back into her beanbag. "The Ouroboros does represent the eternal cycle of birth and rebirth. While I wish it was about Gaea's defeat and the birth of a new world without her, I think we all know that we're never so lucky."

Percy and Annabeth looked at each other.

"So the world is really ending?" Percy asked. Rachel thought for a moment.

"I don't know. I feel like there's something missing." Rachel stared at Percy, her gaze piercing. "Are you sure there wasn't anything else?"

_Damn Oracles and their crazy abilities. _"Well, there was a bit more." Percy admitted, quickly going over the other parts of his dream. He neglected to mention Annabeth being stabbed. Not yet.

"Hmm…hold on a minute." Rachel disappeared for a while, before returning with a sheaf of paper. "While the scenes with Apollo and Artemis definitely worry me, the other scenes sound like memories of some sort."

"That's exactly what I thought." Percy wrung his hands.

"But who's memories?" Annabeth asked. "From the way you describe them, they sound like historical events."

Rachel flipped through the papers for a moment, before pulling a few out. "Did they sort of look like this?"

Percy looked through the stack. Each one had a incredibly detailed sketch drawn on it.

_A man sat on a throne. He held a musket in his left hand and a sheathed sword in his right. Flames burned around him yet his face showed no fear. He is clothed in armour, his hair brushed back. His smile is merciless, his eyes unforgiving._

_The ground is covered in discarded weapons and bodies. Spears protrude from the carnage. On each spear is a head. In the distance, a castle is visible behind some mist. A man stands in the centre of the picture, a lance in each hand. His face is regal and cruel, his eyes showing no mercy. _

_A battlefield, corpses strewn. A man standing at the centre of the field, a halberd in his right hand. His left holds a corpse by the throat. The man's head is titled backwards, his face contorted into a scream. In the air, countless arrows are falling towards him._

"Yes." Percy replied, handing the pictures to Annabeth. "Different people, but the same perspective."

"Why did you draw these?" Annabeth asked, flicking through the pictures. "These seem rather…morbid to say the least. Especially the lances."

"They came to me in a dream last night." Both Percy and Annabeth's heads shot up. Rachel, seeing their reactions, nodded. "Yes, I had a dream similar to yours Percy. Some of the images were like yours, symbols that I couldn't understand. Others were like this." Rachel pointed at the pictures. "Memories of times long forgotten."

"But who are they?" Rachel shrugged.

"I don't know. It would be safe to guess that they're people from history. But as to their identities? That's harder to figure out."

"But we need to find out." Rachel nodded.

"Definitely. We need to figure out who these people are. If one of the strongest Demigods and the Oracle have similar dreams, you can be certain that they're important." Rachel grabbed the papers and made them into a neat pile. "Though the bit about Apollo and Artemis bothers me."

"Same." Annabeth chewed her lip. "What do they have to do with all this?"

Rachel concentrated for a moment. "I can't contact Apollo. But that isn't surprising, since he's normally wandering the world and ignores my calls most of the time."

"You can telepathically talk with Apollo?" Percy immediately felt sorry for Rachel. Apollo would definitely be using that link to have Rachel critique his Haikus.

"Not really. I can send him mental pokes to get his attention." Rachel replied. "If I did, I'd probably kill myself from his poetry. Did you hear his latest one? _The Sun is Hot, the Sun is me-_"

Annabeth cleared her throat. "Before we continue debating Lord Apollo's poetry skills, let's focus on what to do with this knowledge. I think we should speak with Chiron."

"I agree."

"So do I." Annabeth nodded as Percy and Rachel both voiced their agreement.

"Then how about this? Percy, you find Chiron and speak to him about this. Rachel and me will try to identify these mysterious figures from your dreams. When you're done talking with Chiron, come back here. Maybe we'll have found something."

Percy nodded. Annabeth's plans were generally perfect and this one was no exception. _Times, it means I can ask Chiron about the scene with Annabeth._

"Well then seaweed brain, get going!" Annabeth shooed Percy out of the cave, but not before giving him a quick kiss on the lips. "See you later."

"See you." Percy replied, turning around and walking towards the campgrounds. He needed to find Chiron.

* * *

><p><strong>Annabeth<strong>

Annabeth watched Percy walk towards camp, before returning to Rachel. Rachel was still in the beanbag, a pen and pad on her lap. She was furiously doodling something.

"He's hiding something." Rachel looked up from her doodle. "Whenever he lies, his eyes get this guilty look."

"You noticed as well." Rachel placed the sketchpad on the floor next to her. "I have a feeling he dreamed about you."

"I agree." Annabeth knew that Percy would only lie if he was afraid it would hurt her. His Fatal Flaw was personal loyalty after all. "Most likely something bad happened to me." Annabeth sat in the beanbag opposite Rachel.

"Are you worried?" Rachel asked.

"A bit." Annabeth admitted. If Percy hadn't told her what he had saw, it was definitely something bad. "But then again, what can I do about it? When he tells me, then I'll start making plans. Until then, all I can do is wait."

"Wise girl indeed." Rachel laughed. "Though, you weren't being 100% truthful either." Rachel grabbed the drawings and handed them to Annabeth. "You have a hunch about these don't you?"

"Does anything get past you?" Annabeth sighed, shifting through the drawings until she found the one she wanted. "I didn't want to say anything because I wasn't certain, but out of all the drawings, this one is probably going to be the easiest one to identify." Annabeth handed the picture to Rachel.

It was the drawing of the man on a throne, with the fire burning around him. Annabeth pointed at the man's gun.

"First, the gun. What do you think this is?" Rachel peered at it.

"A rifle?" Annabeth shook her head.

"Not exactly. It is a type of rifle. But look at this." Annabeth pointed at the gun's barrel. "Rifles are a bit stockier then this. This is an arquebus."

"A what?"

"An arquebus. It's the predecessor of the rifle, used between the 15th and 17th centuries."

"So we've narrowed it down to two centuries." Rachel nodded. "So I guess we're looking for kings who lived during that time period?

"Hold on, I'm not finished." Annabeth's finger moved to the man's other hand, the one holding the sword. "This is a _katana_."

"So this guy's Japanese?" Annabeth nodded.

"The arquebus was only introduced in Japan half way into the 1500s. So we're looking for someone who lived in Japan between the years 1550 and 1700, was of the ruling class, judging by his throne, and had access to arquebuses."

"Wow..." Rachel was impressed. "You really did just cut down a lot of our work." Rachel glanced at the picture. "So, who is it then?"

"...I don't know." Annabeth hated to admit it, but that was the depth of her knowledge on the subject. "I don't know Japanese history well enough. But I know someone who does."

"You do?"

Annabeth nodded. A few months ago, her mother had claimed a child from Japan as her own. Hiroto Nagaisa was a fifteen year old from Kyoto. If anyone would know who this mysterious man was, it would be him. "My half-brother." Annabeth grabbed the picture and stood up. "Let's go."

Rachel, grumbling about how comfortable she was, pushed herself up.

* * *

><p><strong>Annabeth<strong>

Annabeth had only interacted with Hiroto a few times, because she had been busy saving the world when he had arrived. He was a nice kid, a bit on the quiet side. But his knowledge on South-East Asian history was unmatched by anyone else in the cabin. When Annabeth arrived at the Athena cabin, her half-brother was seated on his bunk, his nose buried in a book. Annabeth glanced at the title.

"The Book of Five Rings?" Annabeth read it out loud. Hiroto jumped a bit, surprised by the appearance of guests.

"Hi-hi Annabeth." Hiroto pushed his glasses back into place. "Y-yes. It's like the Art of War, but Japanese."

"Hi Hiroto, I'm Rachel." Rachel stuck her hand out. Hiroto looked at it like it was a venomous snake. After a moments pause, Rachel retracted her hand.

"He-hello." Hiroto stammered. He was definitely not a people person. "How can I help you?"

"Well you see Hiroto." Annabeth and Rachel had agreed on the way to the cabin not to tell Hiroto the full story. "Rachel and me were wondering if you could help us identify a historical figure. It was on a quiz show that we watched." Annabeth inwardly winced at her clumsy lie. Hiroto however, seemed to believe her.

"Su-sure. But I'm only good with South-East Asian history."

"That's fine. He's Japanese."

"Oh. Ok." Hiroto nodded. "When was this person born?"

"Don't know. We know he was active between the years of 1550 to 1700."

"So it included the Warring States period."

"The what?"

"The Warring States period." Hiroto repeated. "A period of great turmoil in Japanese history, where warlords all across the country fought for control over Japan. It eventually cumulated in the rise of the Tokugawa clan in 1578."

_Seems like when he talks about history, he doesn't stutter. _

"We also know he was of the ruling class and favoured arquebuses." Hiroto's eyebrows scrunched together. "Is that enough information?"

"Well...there are a number of people who would fall into that category." Hiroto thought for a moment. "Was he dressed like a warrior?"

"Yes. He carried a _katana _in one hand and an arquebus in the other."

"Definitely the Warlord Period, if he was both a member of the ruling class and a warrior." Hiroto looked thoughtful. "Perhaps Takeda Shingen? He did recognise the importance of arquebuses...but he carried a war fan, so he a sword doesn't really fit... is there a picture?"

"Yes, here." Annabeth handed over Rachel's sketch. Hiroto took one look, before bursting out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Rachel asked after a moment. Hiroto didn't answer, as he was too busy laughing. After a minute, he calmed down enough to speak.

"I know who this is!" Hiroto said. "If you had mentioned the fire, I would have known immediately who this was."

"The fire?" Annabeth asked. Neither Rachel nor her thought it had been important. "What's so important about that?"

"It's a reference to how this man died." Hiroto replied, handing the drawing back to Annabeth. "The one who revolutionised warfare in Japan with his use of arquebuses and referred to himself as the 'The Demon King of the Sixth Sky'."

"The Demon King of the Sixth Sky?" Rachel snorted. "That's kind of childish isn't it?"

"He was a demon." Hiroto replied, no mirth on his face. "He's remembered as one of the cruelest figures of the Warring States Period, who crushed all enemies in his path for conquest."

Rachel and Annabeth exchanged glances, a silent question passing between the two of them. _Why had Rachel dreamed about a such a cruel person?_

"So...who is it?" Annabeth asked.

"The man who kickstarted the eventual unification of Japan." Hiroto replied. "He tried to conquer Japan, but was killed in a fire at Honno-ji. The person you've drawn is Oda Nobunaga, the Demon King of the Sixth Sky."

* * *

><p><strong>Phew! First chapter done! The beginning of a story about...something. No spoilers just yet!<strong>

**Please fave and review if you enjoyed it! I'll try to reply to any reviews I get!**

**Ferris. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Percy**

Chiron, as it turned out, had been in a meeting on Olympus. As Percy trudged to the Big House, he ran into Chiron on the porch.

"Chiron!" Percy called out his teacher's name. Chiron paused and turned around. His face broke out into a grin upon seeing Percy.

"Percy my boy." Chiron patted Percy on the back. "Are you well?"

"I need to talk to you about something. It's about a dream I had last night." Upon hearing the word 'dream', Chiron frowned.

"Then you better come in." Chiron motioned for Percy to enter.

Chiron transformed into his wheelchair bound form. "Please take a seat."

Percy slid into the armchair opposite Chiron.

"Now then, what's the matter?" Chiron leaned back in his wheelchair. "You said something about a dream?"

Percy quickly explained the contents of his dream, including Annabeth's death, as well as the events that had transpired between him, Rachel and Annabeth. Chiron silently listened, only interrupting Percy to clarify some of the details of his dreams. After Percy finished speaking, Chiron was silent for a few minutes.

"After all you've been through." Chiron spoke. "To think Fate would refuse to let you rest. I sincerely wished that you'd have peace after Gaea."

In spite of everything, Percy couldn't help but smile. Chiron had been like a father to him, ever since Percy appeared in camp half-dead and with a minotaur horn in his hands. "Thanks Chiron."

"Anytime Percy." Chiron leaned back in his wheelchair. "You mentioned that you felt as if you were seeing someone else's memories?"

Percy nodded. Chiron nodded, his expression thoughtful.

"And you didn't recognise any of them?" Percy shook his head. "That's indeed strange."

"What do you think Chiron?" Percy asked. He needed assurance, any type of assurance. "Do you think its another…Prophecy?" Percy felt his mouth go numb from the last word. If his worst fears came true-

"I don't believe so." Chiron's answer caused Percy to sag with relief. "There are no signs of any impeding disaster. When I last visited Olympus, it was very peaceful. Both Artemis and Apollo were present as well."

"So no signs of impending doom?" Chiron shook his head. "So I just had a nightmare?"

"Perhaps." Chiron's _perhaps _did not sound very convincing. "But-"

"It doesn't sound like a simple nightmare does it?" Chiron slowly nodded. "So I did dream of something bad."

"I will have to consult with the Olympians." Chiron's eyes were heavy. "Until I return, stay here. Do not leave the Camp for any reason." With that, Chiron wheeled himself out of the room, leaving Percy to brood over his uncertain fate.

**Annabeth**

"Nobunaga Oda…" Annabeth looked at the picture pinned onto Rachel's wall. The merciless smile, the unflinching eyes, the hard and defined features. Annabeth could believe that this was a man who had destroyed all in his path. Below the sketch, Annabeth had written the name Nobunaga Oda, as well as his date of birth (June 23, 1534), date of death (June 21, 1582) and his country of Origin (Japan. Duh.)

"Why would you dream of him?" Rachel shrugged. Next to the sketch of Oda, six other pictures were pinned on the wall. Two of them were Rachel's original drawings, while the other three had been drawn from Percy's description. Rachel, using a mix of artistic talent, Oracle power and Percy's vague descriptions, had managed to somewhat recreate what she thought Percy's dreams had been.

The new drawings were just as detailed as the old ones, with each figure being equally, if not more, terrifying then Rachel's drawings. Each figure was different, yet there was a common link amongst the seven.

They all oozed charisma, the type of charisma that made you _want _to know who they were. Like the Mona Lisa' captivating smile, Annabeth wanted to find out more about these men. She felt as if she would never feel content otherwise.

It was an uncomfortable feeling, similar to lust but not exactly. _They're just…captivating._ Annabeth shuddered and pushed the thought out of her head. She was in love with Percy, not some doodles on the wall. Though Annabeth had to admit, they were attractive-

"Damn it to Hades!" Annabeth swore, hitting her forehead. She hated it when her thoughts started to wander, especially when they wandered into places she didn't want them to wander to. Rachel, seeing Annabeth's outburst, giggled.

"They're rather captivating men aren't they?" Rachel looked at the pictures. "Not just physically attractive. It's…their presence. When I drew them, they felt so real in my mind. Like they were going to leap out of the page, you know?" Rachel traced one of the pictures, that of the silver-haired boy swinging the sword, with a finger. "I could just fall in love."

"Like Pygmalion and Galatea?" Annabeth remembered the story of the sculptor Pygmalion who fell in love with his creation, Galatea. Aphrodite, upon seeing his devotion, turned his statue into a real woman and they lived happily every after.

"Yes." Rachel admitted. "Except I guess we wouldn't want these guys to come to life." Annabeth looked at the pictures again.

Captivating men, each surrounded in carnage. _If any of them are like Oda…_Annabeth winced at the idea of a demon like Oda Nobunaga coming to life. Captivating, but deadly.

"That's true." Annabeth admitted. "But hopefully, just like Nobunaga, they're already dead."

"Oh for sure." Rachel waved her hand. "I mean, do any of these guys look like they're from this century?"

Annabeth had to admit, they didn't. Each one of them was either dressed or carried weapons that did not fit into this era. _But, why do I feel so uneasy? _Annabeth traced the picture of Oda with her finger. _It's like…a storm is coming._

**Annabeth**

"So, how are you and Percy?" Rachel suddenly asked. Annabeth had been lost in thought, so the sudden question startled her.

"Huh? Oh we're…good." Rachel's eyebrow rose at Annabeth's tone.

"Right. Start talking, now." Annabeth inwardly smiled. Rachel's bluntness had stayed consistent throughout the years, and was something that Annabeth had grown to enjoy.

"Well…" Annabeth hesitated. She trusted Rachel, but she had spoken about this subject with anyone. Like anyone. Not even Percy knew. "Percy's amazing, you know. He's kind, considerate, thoughtful, handsome-"

"Cut the crap and get to the point." Rachel suddenly interrupted. "We both know he's amazing, so why'd you hesitate to answer my question?"

Annabeth bit her lip, mentally bracing herself for what she was about to say.

"I…don't think we'll work out."

**Reyna**

After Gaea's defeat, the number of monsters on the prowl had decreased significantly. Thus, campers were able to leave the boundaries of the camp more frequently for day trips into either San Francisco or Los Angeles.

Reyna walked down Venice boulevard. She was dressed in a white camisole and black pants, her hair tied in a loose braid that fell over her right shoulder and across her chest. Tied around her waist was a grey summer jacket. Reyna could feel the eyes of the males stop on her bare shoulders, her ample chest, her long legs. She wasn't disgusted in the slightest.

Reyna was aware of her attractiveness, something she had realised back in Camp Jupiter. Unlike the Children of Venus however, Reyna never prided herself on it. It was simply another part of her, something that she had accepted. She knew that whatever she wore, she would catch the eye of some man.

_Yet I couldn't catch the eye of the man I wanted. _Reyna thought bitterly to herself, remembering Venus' words to her.

Sometimes, Reyna wished she was more like Piper. Piper was beautiful in a way that made boy's slide up to talk to her. Reyna on the other hand, was beautiful like a statue, forever admired from afar. Reyna had been so caught up in her duties as Praetor that she had never made any effort towards pursuing a romantic relationship with Jason. She had thought it would have just…happened.

The one time Reyna had gotten over Jason, it had been because of Percy. She had thought she could have finally moved on, finally found a relationship.

Then it turned out Percy had a girlfriend, Annabeth, who he was absolutely smitten with. Reyna kicked a rock on the pavement in anger.

"I wait for them to come to me…and look where that got me." Reyna muttered. "Forever cursed never to find love amongst my own people." She had tried to date mortals a few times, but had quickly left them after the first or second date. They just weren't…Jason or Percy.

A noise on the beach caught Reyna's attention. A huge group of people had made a circle, and where cheering. This wasn't unusual. Venice beach was home to a number of street performers, ranging from streets bands to a huge "Weird People" museum. Though, Reyna mused, most people on Venice beach were odd one way or another.

The cheer intensified. Reyna thought she heard what sounded like metal striking metal. Giving into her curiosity, Reyna walked towards the circle.

Maybe a show would take her mind off things.

**Reyna**

There were perhaps two hundred people making a circle around the show. Reyna, by pushing and shoving, managed to make her way to the centre of the circle. Her eyes fell upon the performers.

Two people dressed in what looked like a cross of fencing gear and plate armour were currently trading blows with blunted swords. Reyna glanced at the sign on the ground.

_Los Angeles HEMA Organisation_

"HEMA?" Reyna had never heard of the term. One of the spectators next to her, a topless slightly-overweight male teenager, turned to her.

"Historical European Martial Arts!" The boy explained, his eyes never leaving Reyna's breasts. "It's the biggest thing in LA right now, ever since that dude Revan came into town-"

Reyna had stopped listening after the boy had explained what HEMA stood for. Her eyes had returned to the fighters. _They obviously have no clue how to use their swords. _Reyna watched them swing wildly at each other, their swords blocking each others attacks purely by chance. _A sword would have chipped beyond repair if they blocked with a live edge. _

The fight continued for a few more minutes, before stopping. Both fighters removed their helmets, revealing sweat soaked faces, and embraced. The crowd cheered.

"And now, a presentation from one of our leaders!" One of the swordsmen announced, a chorus of cheers erupting from the crowd in response. "I give you, Master Revan!

Another armoured swordsman stepped into the centre of the circle. Like the others, his face was hidden behind a helmet. In his right hand, he carried a sheathed sword. Reyna's raised her eyebrow upon seeing the sword.

"Is that a Zweihander?" The overweight male, who was still ogling her breasts, looked up.

"Yeah. Revan tends to use two-handed swords like the Zweihander and the Claymore. Though, I personally prefer the-" Once again, Reyna zoned out the boy's attempts at flirting.

_I'm letting him stare at my breasts without punching him. I'm allowed to be rude. _

Reyna watched as 'Master Revan' took a stance a the centre of the circle. With controlled movements, he slowly drew the Zweihander from its sheathe. The crowd had gone silent, including the boy standing next to her. Reyna didn't blame them.

'Master Revan' was very different from the amateurs who had just fought. Just from his movements, Reyna felt as if she was watching the beginning of a death match.

Suddenly, and without warning, 'Master Revan' suddenly slashed downwards. Reyna nearly flinched. 'Master Revan' had cut air, but for a moment, Reyna could have sworn that she had saw him, for the briefest of instants, cut down a man.

Without pause, 'Master Revan' continued to preform slashes and stabs, each one striking air, yet Reyna could feel the bloodlust behind each attack.

The sword slashed diagonally, cutting the air.

_Reyna saw a man collapse to the ground, having been cleanly bisected from right shoulder to left waist. _

With a twist, 'Master Revan' twisted, drawing a horizontal line with his blade.

_In that movement, a man's torso was separated from his waist. _

Raising the sword high above his head, 'Master Revan' brought the sword down with both hands.

_The last assailant was cleaved in two. _

The spectators were silent, in awe of the display that they had seen. The aggression and bloodlust, while not directed at them, had caused the circle to grow wider. _They subconsciously sensed him as a threat and stepped back. _Reyna thought to herself, impressed. Very few mortals were capable of such a feat. Without thinking, Reyna begun to clap. 'Master Revan' turned to face her. Reyna couldn't see his eyes underneath the mask, but she could feel his gaze.

After a moment's pause, the crowd seemed to wake up. They begun to follow Reyna's example, beginning to clap before exploding into cheers and whistles. 'Master Revan' glanced around, before returning his gaze to Reyna.

With a single movement, 'Master Revan' grabbed his helmet under the chin and removed it.

Reyna felt her breathing stop.

The face under the mask was beautiful. Hard and angular features. Brown eyes burning with charisma. A hint of a smile.

And beautiful silvery-gray hair that just touched his eyes.

'Master Revan' walked towards Reyna, the crowds parting as he approached. He stopped about a foot away from her, so close that Reyna could see droplets of sweat run on his brow. She resisted the urge to wipe them off with her hand.

"Hello there." 'Master Revan' smiled, revealing perfect white teeth and two slightly sharp incisors. "I hope you enjoyed my little display." He held his hand out for Reyna to shake. "My name is Rainer Gray."

"Reyna." Reyna replied, taking his hand and shaking it. Her gaze was steady, but inside her heart was beating like a drum. _Gods please don't let him notice. _

"Reyna." The way he pronounced her name made her heart flutter. "It's always nice to meet someone who practices swordsmanship." Noticing Reyna's shocked expression, Rainer chuckled. "Surprised that I guessed?" Without warning, Rainer leaned closer until his lips were next to Reyna's ear. "Your eyes are those of a warrior. Just like mine." Rainer whispered softly, tickling her ear with his breath. Reyna resisted the urge to blush. But what Rainer did next surprised her.

As he pulled back, Rainer brushed his lips lightly against Reyna's cheek. An electric shock ran down Reyna's spine as he moved away.

"It was a pleasure meeting you." Rainer bowed slightly, a faint smile on his face. "I hope we get the chance to do so again." With that, Rainer turned around and melted back into the crowd.

Reyna moved her hand to her cheek, where Rainer's lips had brushed her. It was only then that she realised just how hot her cheeks were, and how stupidly large the grin on her face was.

* * *

><p><strong>Woot! Chapter two done! Now then, to respond to reviewers:<strong>

**Bambino01: I hope it is! I've already planned out quite a bit of the story, so we'll see.**

**Mysterious Guest Person: Pertemis? While I won't deny I do enjoy a good Pertemis story, I don't think such a relationship would fit with this particular story. I've got an idea for a relationship, as well as how this relationship will come to fruition, but I won't spoil just yet. I will say however, that this will be an odd pairing. (Well most likely anyways.)**

**Anyways, we get a bit of development here. The Oracle doesn't have a clue what's going on, which is odd. Annabeth is questioning her relationship with Percy (Which I will explain and develop upon, later.) And most importantly, Reyna meets the silver-haired Rainer Gray!**

**Review and Fave if you enjoyed it! I will try my best to answer PMs and Reviews!**

**Ferris. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Percy**

Percy left the Big House feeling a bit better about his situation. Chiron had promised to inform him if any new information came up regarding his dreams. Life seemed hopeful.

As Percy stepped onto the front porch, he gazed around the Camp.

It was so peaceful. The strawberry fields were full of Demeter's kids harvesting the year's harvest. The forges were spewing smoke, the Hephaestus kids probably making some sort of weapon. Percy, seeing the fire, was reminded of Leo Valdez. Nico had claimed he had died, but he had admitted that Leo's death had been odd. Whatever that meant.

Speaking of Nico…Percy's thoughts wandered to the Son of Hades. At the end of the war against Gaea, he had confessed his feelings for Percy, before flat out rejecting him in the same sentence. Percy was still slightly confused by the nature of his and Nico's relationship, but had decided not to think too much about it. Times, Nico and Will Solace from Apollo's cabin had struck up a good relationship afterwards.

"People are hard to understand sometimes." Percy murmured to himself, beginning to walk towards the forest and Rachel's cave.

As he walked past the cabins, a voice called to him.

"Brother!" Percy turned around just in time to be tackled by a cyclops. "It's been a long time!"

"Hey-Tyson." Percy replied, trying to breath. "Little-less-strength-buddy." Tyson's grip loosened slightly. "That's-better."

"Ella says hi to the Hero of Olympus." The harpy waved from her seat on Tyson's shoulder.

"Hey Ella." Percy gasped as Tyson released him from the bone-crushing (literally) hug. "How have you two been?"

"We been good!" Tyson replied, a beaming at Ella. "We travelled a lot!"

"Really?" Percy couldn't help but smile. His half-brother had that effect on people. "Where'd you guys go?"

Tyson immediately begun to rattle off a list of places, with Ella occasionally reminding him of places he had forgotten. Percy watched the couple happily chat, a perfect complement to one another.

_I hope Annabeth and I are like this one day. _While Percy and Annabeth definitely had chemistry, they weren't as close as Tyson and Ella. In fact, Percy reflected, recently he felt as if there was tension between them, as if there was some sort of block preventing their relationship from growing. It wasn't noticeable unless Percy actually seriously reflected on it, but when he compared him and Annabeth to Ella and Tyson, it was blatantly obvious.

"Brother?" Tyson's voice shook Percy out of his thoughts. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." Percy smiled at Tyson. "I'm fine. Just thinking about Annabeth."

Tyson grin, upon hearing Annabeth's name, grew wider. "Oh! Tyson wants to see Annabeth!"

"Ella too!" Ella added.

Percy couldn't help but chuckle at the cuteness of the couple. "I'm sure she wants to see you guys as well. Come on, let's go then!"

**Annabeth **

"Explain." Rachel said, scotching forward. Annabeth's comment had surprised her. "Now."

Annabeth looked into Rachel's eyes, searching for something. Discontent? Anger perhaps? Instead, all Annabeth sees is worry. _Rachel's worried about me. _The thought puts Annabeth at ease. She had been afraid that Rachel would have called her ungrateful.

"I do think you're ungrateful, but I'm willing to let you prove me wrong." Rachel scathing remark made Annabeth wince. She did however, have a point.

"In Tartarus, something happened-" Annabeth had never given anyone a full account of what occurred in Tartarus. Yet somehow, she felt that she should.

To give Rachel credit, she didn't interrupt Annabeth at all. She simply listened as Annabeth recounted the horrors of the Pit.

"After that, I changed." Annabeth's voice was soft. So soft, that Rachel had to strain to hear it. "Percy…he was still the same. Kind. Loving. Perfect. But I…" A sob emitted from Annabeth. "I couldn't trust him anymore! The _arai…_I know it was an illusion, but it felt so real!" Annabeth wrapped her arms around herself. "That crushing despair, that loneliness, it-it broke me!"

"Annabeth-" Rachel spoke, trying to think of something comforting to say. She had never imagined that Annabeth would break down like this.

"No!" Rachel yelped at Annabeth's outburst. "Don't pity me! You-you can't understand what if felt like! That horrible feeling!" Annabeth stared at her hands, her eyes wild. "I-I can't even look at him without wondering if he'll abandon me! If he did, then I'll fall into the despair again! That abyss of-of pain and suffering!" Annabeth looked at Rachel. "I'm not strong like him. I can't just shrug off what happened down there. That-that's why I can't be with him. Every time I try, my body, my mind, it screams for me to run. To never associate myself with him ever again."

Rachel looked at the wreck that was her friend. With those few sentences, she understood more of Annabeth then she had ever before. Her friend, her strong unconquerable friend, had broken.

Rachel, to her surprise, didn't despise Annabeth for what she said. It was hard to despise someone so broken, so damaged. Instead, compassion and empathy grew in Rachel's chest. Sliding over to Annabeth, Rachel wrapped her arms around her head and pulled her into a hug.

"It's ok." Rachel whispered. "You've proven me wrong."

A single sob in response, which quickly grew into a torrent of tears that stained Rachel's shirt.

**Reyna**

Whenever she had a chance, Reyna would go into the city. While she claimed it was to _check on the monster population _or to _buy some necessary products, _she knew that she was lying to herself. There was only one reason why she was going into the city.

Rainer Gray.

The thought of the man always, without fail, brought a blush to her cheeks. That faint smile, slightly-arrogant-but-not-in-a-bad-way personality. Reyna had to admit, he was attractive.

Yet, ever since that day, she hadn't been able to find him. She had asked all over the place, even going to HEMA's headquarters in Los Angeles, only to learn that Rainer had gone to Rhode Island to check on a university's HEMA club. He had however, told them to tell her that he was going to be back in four days, and that he'd like Reyna to join him for dinner when he returned.

Naturally, Reyna had every intention of accepting.

Which was why she was currently in a conundrum.

Reyna had no clue what she was to wear on such an affair. Due to her duties as Praetor, she had never dated a single man in her life. Reyna briefly considered asking her sister Hylla, until she remembered that she was the Queen of the Amazons and thus would probably have less of an idea of what to do on a date then Reyna did.

"Curses." Reyna mumbled. She was at a complete loss of what to do. She didn't want to mess up her first date after all. "Who could I possibly ask-" Reyna smacked her forehead. There was someone who she could ask, someone who had arrived a few days ago with her boyfriend.

She needed the advice of a certain daughter of Venus.

**Nico**

Nico stopped to catch his breath. He had just shadow-travelled to Hawaii, more specifically the island of Honolulu. The sunlight burned his eyes as Nico leaned against the palm tree.

"It's so _hot_. And bright." Nico grumbled. He would have preferred to be back in Camp Half-Blood, with Will, instead of on the beach in Hawaii. But Nico knew he shouldn't be complaining. His father had personally requested Nico's help on this matter.

_"My son, a number of souls have escaped from Elysium and into the Upper World. As to why they'd wish to leave Paradise, that is beyond me, but the Laws dictate that they must remain in the Lower World unless they drink from Lethe." _

This quest had lead Nico all across America, tracking these spirits and returning them to Elysium. The last one however, had proven to be a bit more troublesome then the others. Nico had already hunted it across four states, before finally arriving in Hawaii. Nico could sense the spirit's presence. It was close. Very close.

"One more." Nico muttered, forcing himself up. "One more then I can go back home." _And see Will. _

The spirit was, judging from Nico's senses, on the beach. Nico stepped out from the shade of the tree and looked around.

There. A shimmering figure stood at the edge of the beach, its phantasmal feet just in the water. The figure was staring outwards, towards the endless ocean.

Nico walked over to the spirit, his Stygian Iron sword drawn. Luckily, the beach was deserted, saving Nico the trouble of having to manipulate the mist.

"Hello boy." The spirit suddenly spoke, surprising Nico. He hadn't expected the spirit to talk. The others certainly hadn't. "You're a Son of Pluto, aren't you?"

"Yes." Nico replied. He really hadn't expected this.

The spirit flickered a bit, his outline becoming a bit more defined. Nico could see that he was wearing Praetorian armour. "My name is Titus. I was a Praetorian until my death in 69 AD, during the year of Four Emperors."

"The Year of Four Emperors?" Nico, in spite of himself, was curious. He knew that the spirits of Elysium were all good people, but he had never communicated with one before.

"Yes. After the death of the Tyrant Nero in the 68th year, may his suffering be eternal, the Empire was torn apart by civil war. In the year after Nero's death, four men took the throne, one after another. I was a Praetorian under Galba, and was killed defending him from Otho's men." Nico couldn't see the spirit's face, but imagined he was smiling. "I died a death worthy of a Praetorian, and was given access to Elysium."

Nico nodded. Soldiers dying to protect their leaders was one possible way to enter Elysium. Titus had obviously been loyal to his master until the end.

"You're here to bring me back to Elysium aren't you?" Titus asked. Nico nodded. The ghost turned back towards the sea. "You know, I was born in a town next to the sea. So when I found myself back in the mortal world, I just had to see it again."

"How did you get out?" Nico asked, partly out of curiosity, partly to tell his father so that he would make sure it wouldn't happen again. "Ghosts of Elysium can only return to the Mortal World if they drink from Lethe."

"I don't know." Titus admitted. "One moment, I was drinking in the tavern. The next, I found myself in the mortal world, with a number of my old comrades next to me."

"Your old comrades?" Titus nodded.

"Some of my friends also achieved Elysium. We decided to split up since we didn't know how long we'd be in the mortal world and we each wanted to see something different." Nico however, was no longer listening.

_All the ghosts who got brought here were Roman? That doesn't sound like a coincidence to me. _

"Son of Pluto?" Titus touched Nico arm, which felt as if someone had doused it with cold water. "Did you find my friends?"

"Ah…yes I did." Nico shook his head. Deal with the ghost first, suspect a conspiracy later. "They're back in Elysium."

"Well then, you better send me back as well." Nico nodded in agreement, before planting his sword's blade into the ground in front of Titus.

"May your soul return to whence it came from." With a _whoosh, _Titus suddenly disappeared, his spirit returning to Elysium. Nico spent a few moments staring at the sea, before turning and walking towards the shadow of the trees.

He had some inquiries to make down in the Underworld.

**Percy**

When Percy, Tyson and Ella returned to Rachel's cave, there was a sombre atmosphere in the air.

"Hey guys-what's wrong?" Percy asked. Annabeth's eyes were slightly red, as if she had been crying. Rachel was patting Annabeth on her back, whispering softly into her ear.

Upon Percy's entrance however, both of them immediately shot apart.

"Um." Annabeth quickly wiped her eyes. "Nothing seaweed brain! I was just remembering a sad movie scene."

It was a lie and even Percy, with all his denseness, knew it. But he knew that Annabeth would never cave into pressure, especially not his.

Luckily, Tyson and Ella quickly quelled any awkwardness by immediately rushing over to great Annabeth and Rachel.

Percy watched as Annabeth and Rachel were swamped by the couple. He couldn't help but smile as they dealt with the pure innocence that Tyson and Ella radiated.

Deciding to come back later, Percy slipped out of the room.

Outside, night had fallen. The forest around Rachel's cave looked cold and unforgiving, but Percy didn't mind. He was stronger then anything that lived there.

Stepping into the shadows, Percy exhaled. The cold was nice, the shadows inviting.

Percy knew exactly why Annabeth had been crying. No one could blame her, after what the _Arai _did to her. Percy understood why she felt like she did. He would to, if he had gone through what she did. Annabeth had come out of Tartarus a changed woman.

But Percy hadn't come out unscathed either. Tartarus had left him a parting gift, one whose effects weren't noticeable until long after Percy had left the Pit.

Percy looked at his hands. They were shaking.

Tartarus' curse had activated.

Percy collapsed to the ground, pain exploding all over his body. His scream echoed through the forest as blood exploded from his pores. Agony tore at his nerves, until finally, Percy fell into blissful unconsciousness.

As Percy lay there, Tartarus' curse begun its work.

Modifying and altering. Changing and corrupting.

When Percy awoke a few hours later, he was a changed man.

**Ta da! Chapter 3 is up. More development, especially with Annabeth. And look at Percy at the end! What happened? What's Tartarus' curse? Hint: It isn't some super-power up or anything like that. Noooo that'd be too boring if Percy got overpowered. This is something else. Something really, really bad (well, maybe. Depends on how you define bad I guess.)**

**Rate and fave if you enjoyed it!**

**Ferris **


	4. Chapter 4

**Reyna**

Jason and Piper were engaged in a rather intense match of tongue-hockey when Reyna burst in.

"Piper, I need your help with something!" Reyna shouted. Piper and Jason immediately detached and attempted to look as if they had been doing something _other _then eating each others faces. Reyna however, hadn't seemed to notice that she had disturbed them. "I have a-a-" Reyna stuttered slightly. "a-date!"

"A WHAT?!" Piper shrieked, causing Jason to roll away and clutch his ears in agony. "Sorry." Piper patted Jason on the back, muttering a half hearted apology, before turning her attention back to Reyna. "With who? Is it Attilus? Or Tralven? Or, Gods no, please don't say its Haliphe-"

"His name is Rainer." Piper's brow furrowed as she tried to match the name to her database of faces. "He's a mortal."

"A mortal?" Piper's eyebrow rose. "When did you meet a morta-ohhhhh." Piper nodded. "That's what all your 'shopping trips' were for, weren't they?"

Reyna nodded, her face blushing. Piper grinned. "Well then, is he cute?"

"He is…nice on the eyes."

"Is he tall?"

"Taller then me."

"How many inches?" Piper asked, a wicked grin on her face.

Jason, who had been steadily ignoring the girl's conversation, choked in surprise.

"Well…he's about six foot…so 72 inches?" Reyna's brow had furrowed as she attempted to calculate a rough estimate.

Both Jason and Piper looked at each other, before Piper burst out laughing. Jason, on his part, simply looked embarrassed.

Piper grabbed Reyna by the shoulder and proceeded to steer her towards the massive walk-in closet at the far end of the cabin.

"Oh, I have a lot to teach you don't I?" Piper's grin was almost demonic in appearance. Jason had wisely decided to take the chance and sneak out of the cabin, leaving the two girls alone.

Reyna, for some reason, felt a chill go down her spine.

**Percy**

The curse of Tartarus had begun to take affect about two weeks after Percy left Tartarus. It had started with a series of sudden heart palpations. While Percy had originally just written them off, they had increased in duration and strength until they were unbearable.

It was before the ultimate battle with Gaea that Percy had died from a heart attack.

**—Flashback unknown number of months (During Blood of Olympus)—**

Percy gasped, his eyes flying open. He had remembered going to sleep, his heartbeat having turned erratic. The pain had continued to increase, preventing him from falling asleep, until a blinding pain had knocked him unconscious.

Percy looked around at his surroundings. He was no longer on the _Argo_. Instead, he was lying on the floor of a throne room.

It was however, unlike any throne room Percy had seen before. The red walls seemed to pulse with life, blue and green lines intersecting like veins. Upon closer inspection, Percy recoiled in disgust. Those lines weren't like veins, they _were _veins. The entire throne room was like a massive heart.

"Ew." Despite the ominous atmosphere of the place, Percy couldn't help but voice his disgust. "That's gross."

"Glad you think so." A voice rumbled. Percy looked up. At the far end of the throne room, seated in a throne (Duh. It was a throne room.), was a heavily armoured figure. "The interior decorator was a serial killer after all. His name was…Puzzle piece?" Percy thought he saw the figure shrug, but from this distance, he couldn't tell. Heck, Percy was surprised he could even hear the figure from so far away. "Magic, Child of the Earthshaker."

"Did you just…read my mind?" Percy immediately tried to stop thinking, but failed miserably. The figure chuckled.

"No. You wear your thoughts on your sleeve."

"I get told that a lot." Percy admitted. While the figure seemed nice, there was something unnervingly familiar about him. Like Percy had met him before… "Um, I don't mean to be rude, but who are you-"

The throne room seems to warp, and the armoured figure suddenly appears in front of Percy, his hand outstretched. Percy grasped it, feeling the heat radiate from the figure's hand.

"Tartarus." The figure replied, causing every fibre in Percy's being to scream silently in fear. "Though, we've already met, haven't we Earthshaker?"

**Rainer (I won't use his POV very often.)**

Rainer's apartment was located in a loft on the outskirts of Los Angeles. It composed of two levels, a larger lower level and a smaller upper level. The larger level consisted of a living room, bathroom and kitchen, while the upper level was Rainer's bedroom and personal bathroom.

Rainer stepped out of the shower, the steam still clinging to his body. Wiping himself off, he put on a pair of boxers. The rest of his body, muscled and scarred, was covered in condensation. Walking down to the kitchen, Rainer grabbed a Gatorade from the fridge and cracked it open.

"…" Rainer sipped the drink, his eyes looking at the night sky. It was a clear night, and the stars and moon were clearly visible. "…" Rainer sipped his drink, his other hand unconsciously running over his chest.

To be exact, the tattoo on his right bicep, directly above his heart. It was a simple tattoo, made of runes. Rainer glanced down at the black ink.

"…" Rainer placed his drink on the table next to him. "…!" Rainer turned around. In the few moments that he had been staring at the sky, someone had entered his apartment.

The intruder had auburn hair and silver eyes. Her clothing was silver and seemed to glow in the moonlight. _No. _Rainer noted dryly. _Her clothes were releasing moonlight_. A bow hung loosely from her right hand, while a quiver full of arrows hung from her right shoulder.

"…"

"…"

Neither one of the figures spoke, each one silently gazing into the other's eyes. Both the intruder's and Rainer's expressions were unreadable.

A minute. Two minutes. It was only after five minutes that one of them moved.

Rainer placed his right hand over his bare chest and knelt down in front of the intruder, his eyes not leaving the intruder's.

"It has been a while, Mi'lady Artemis."

**Percy Flashback**

"Um-um." Percy's mind was racing. He was currently talking to a Primordial. Not just a Primordial though. A Primordial who had attempted to kill him. _Which I suppose, is a rather long list. _

Tartarus, on the other hand, simply slapped Percy on the back and laughed. It was a cruel laugh, a laugh that promised a horrible demise to those who heard it. "Don't be so tense! I'm not about to blast you to bits!"

"Really?" Percy asked, hopeful. _Maybe I can get out of this alive-_

"No! That wouldn't suffice as revenge!" _Oh. _Tartarus took Percy by the shoulders and looked him in the eyes. Underneath the helmet, Percy could see burning red eyes. Eyes full of hate, of destruction, of demise. Tartarus smacked Percy's chest. "Revenge is a dish best served cold! My curse is placed on all those who enter my Pit, including you and your girlfriend."

Without thinking, Percy's hand was reaching for Riptide. Except of course, that he didn't have Riptide. Tartarus, noticing the gesture, laughed. "Yes, your girlfriend is under the same curse as you. It will eat her from the inside, growing stronger and stronger until it finally takes its toll."

Percy felt anger run through his body. Annabeth had already suffered so much. Without thinking, he fell to his knees in front of Tartarus. "No! Please, Lord Tartarus. Kill me, torture me, drag me down into the Pit! Just don't hurt her! Please!" Percy placed his forehead onto the ground.

"Hohoho! Quite some spirit there!" Tartarus laughed. "But it's a bit late boy. My curse has already begun. But-" Tartarus leaned down and, using his hand, forced Percy to look him in the eye. "I like your spirit. So I'll make a deal with you." Tartarus used his armoured finger to touch Percy's forehead. "My curse will consume her. But it won't kill her. Nor will it kill you. It will simply make your lives a living Hell."

_That doesn't sound much better then dying._

"However, something will threaten her life one day. So here's your deal. I'll protect her from dying, but you'll have to sacrifice something in exchange. Something that will utterly destroy you without killing you." Percy felt as if Tartarus was smiling underneath his helmet. "This is the deal I'm offering. My Faustian contract, if you'd like."

Percy looked Tartarus in the eye. His contract was vague to say the least. Tartarus hadn't specified what sort of danger would threaten Annabeth. Nor had he stated what exactly the price of the contract was. But Percy knew one thing, and that was that Tartarus wasn't lying.

And it was for that reason that Percy unhesitatingly spoke the word that would seal his fate.

"Deal."

**Annabeth**

Central Park was one of Annabeth's favourite places in the city. A green oasis in a sea of metal, it spanned multiple blocks of the city. Annabeth was currently walking through the park towards the duck pond. It was where she went whenever she needed to think.

And after the fiasco back in camp, thinking was exactly what Annabeth needed to do.

The duck pond was, unusually enough, sparsely populated. Only a few people milled around the pond, throwing bread to the ducks. Annabeth scanned her surroundings for a bench. Finding one, her eyes fell upon the figure who currently sat there.

He wore a black suit, black shirt and black tie, along with a pair of black gloves. His face was hidden behind his shoulder-length hair. In his gloved hands he held a piece of bread. As Annabeth watched, the stranger tore pieces of the bread and threw them to the pigeons, who had congregated around his feet.

Not knowing why, Annabeth found herself drawn to the man. The man didn't look up as Annabeth slid onto the bench next to him. They sat in silence for a while, Annabeth brooding, the man feeding the pigeons.

"…do you want to talk about it?" Annabeth looked up with a start. The man had turned to face her, giving Annabeth her first look at his face.

He had defined features, with sharp eyes and a prominent forehead. His hair, upon closer inspection, was black with a tinge of purple. Annabeth however, found herself drawn to his eyes.

They were full of sadness. Not anger, not guilt. Just sadness. Two windows to an endless pool of sadness.

"Um…" Annabeth found herself at a loss for words. She hadn't expected the man to talk to her.

The man, noticing her reaction, smiled. It was a sad smile. "I apologise. I must have surprised you."

"No!" The man titled his head at Annabeth's reaction, causing her to blush slightly. "I mean, no you did surprise me-" _Gods I'm making no sense am I? _"-but you don't need to apologise since I do want to talk about it."

The man stared at her, long enough to make Annabeth uncomfortable, before nodding. "OK…please, tell me."

If Annabeth stopped and thought about it, she would have realised that she was about to spill her heart out to a random man she met in Central Park. Common sense dictated that one was _not _meant to do this, especially a girl as attractive as Annabeth. But Annabeth could sense that this man was different. She could sense the man's sincerity, his lack of ulterior motive. Even if she showed weakness, the man would not take advantage of her. That, she was sure of.

So Annabeth told him. She told him about Percy, about the adventures they had (She made sure to remove anything supernatural, as the man _was _a mortal after all.), how they'd been in a relationship, how he'd disappeared suddenly, how she's searched and searched and searched.

She spoke about Tartarus (again making sure to remove the supernatural bits), the despair she'd felt upon being cursed. She talked about how ever since that day, she'd been unable to trust him, and how she hated herself for that. How Percy was, despite everything, so kind and loving and trusting, while she was so untrusting, dark and broken. She spoke about how she felt unworthy of his attention, how she worried that she would never love him as much as he loved her.

All the while, the stranger listened, his face betraying nothing. But at the end of her story, Annabeth swore that the stranger's eyes had grown softer, as if he could relate to the events that Annabeth had just described. Somehow, Annabeth had a feeling he could.

"You've had a harsh life." The stranger said simply. "No one should have to go through what you did, especially at your age." The stranger turns to face the pigeons, his face hidden be his hair. "Speaking from experience, I know that there isn't anything I can say to lessen the pain."

He threw the rest of the bread to the pigeons. "All I can do is listen, and try to help you lessen the burden." The man dusted his hands off, before standing up. He was tall, probably a head taller then Annabeth. "I come to the park every other day to feed the pigeons. If you want someone to talk to, I'll be here." The man turned to leave.

"My name is Annabeth!" Annabeth suddenly blurted out. The man paused, before turning and locking eyes with her.

"Nice to meet you, Annabeth. My name is Lance." The man smiled his sad smile once more, before walking off.

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><p><strong>I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in such a long time! I've been busy with exams and other stuff. Anyways, a bunch of stuff occurred in this one. <strong>

**Fave and Review if you liked it!**

**Ferris**


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